Zainabb Hull

Oh, to be on the edge of a lake, a fishing pole in hand, a lazy summer breeze stirring my hair and a peanut butter sandwich waiting for lunch. As we move into the warmer months of the year up here in the northern hemisphere, we’re getting into fishing season—but the beauty of games is that any season is fishing season, if you’re a special kind of sicko (fishing game fan). This month, we’re talking about fishing in games. What draws us to this recurring kind of collecting mechanic and minigame?

2021 was A Lot. Everyone I know struggled more than usual last year—unsurprisingly, given the ongoing global pandemic, general resurgence of fascism, bleak headlines, and the more mundane but no less heartbreaking personal crises we’ve all been dealing with.

In an era where self-publishing is easier than ever, what makes a zine a zine? Is a crowdfunded glossy fanzine full of big name fanart the same as a Xerox’d treatise on your favorite band? Is there room for more than one definition of zine? WWAC held a round table to find out! To kick off the discussion — what “zine” feels like “zine” to you?